My theory: 3 New Races Coming in Next Expansion

[Deleted]

This seems to be Blizzards year to really make WoW shine!

I have sources close to Blizzard that say we will be getting 3 new races in the next expansion. Yes you read that correctly, 3 NEW RACES. They are sleighed to be:

- Ogres (Horde)
- High Elves (Alliance)
- Ethereal (Neutral)

The reason for 3 is because Blizzard really wants to push the fantasy and choice options for races continually in the future. Additionally, adding races is a "low impact, high value" proposition because there is no balancing like there is when they add new classes. A new race is essentially cosmetic, and players love cosmetic things in the game.

As for the 3 races and the "why?" behind them, all i got out of my sources is "this expansion seemed like the appropriate time to introduce these races to the game as playable options."

So it seems like the theme of the expansion really does hint toward some void influence (since Ethereal are highly involved with the void). I can only guess Ogres because players have been asking for them for years, and they thematically fit the horde. Also, ogres would fit the pirate theme that a potential south seas expansion could bring. I have no idea about why high elves though. I don't see them fitting into a void / south seas themed expansion at all, but who knows.

Feel free to believe or not believe, but we shall see soon enough in less than 3 weeks.

Ogre shaman fuck yeah, one reason to buy next xpac. (if its gonna be true ofcourse!)

Me Smash you!

[Skayth]

i give it a .000000000000000000000000000000000000000001% of being real. Why? Well, one, its a Jaylock thread. Two, he even posted an expansion, saying it was real, around gamescom saying it was going to be shown... and it was from his source from within blizzard as well..... Three.... its jaylock.

[Sylv_]

See it's Jaylock.
Disregard thread.

[Destinas]

Unlikely, for several reasons. I will say that this isn't a new concept for Jaylock. He mentioned this in another thread that was supposedly a leak.

http://www.mmo-champion.com/threads/...ide-of-Azeroth

[Deleted]

They would probably have unique animations for movement, spells and abilities. Something more regal and noble, not as emo/anime as Blood Elves. A unique racial. Remember, we live in a post-Pandaren era. The previous reason of having the same racial outlines no longer exists, whether that be right or wrong. No one expected neutral Goblins to be Horde or playable Worgens. No one certainly expected MoP or Pandaren. TBH, anything is possible.

Wait, what? Goblins have always been Horde pretty much, except few Goblin Mercenaries in WC3, Pandaren were also very very plausible, they were actually a very strong candidate for an Alliance race in TBC. The only ones that surprised us were the Worgen, especially since they didn't have a background from RTS games.

If Alliance get High Elves, why not give Night Elves to the Horde then as well, since they were originally meant as a Horde race, but were changed solely because they wanted to have capitols for each Horde and Alliance on both continents.

If they would really give High Elves to the Alliance and Ogres to the Horde at this point, they better be prepared for immense backlash, mostly because it would favor the Horde way too much, unless they create an entire new High Elf model, but that wouldn't make sense the same, since Blood Elves ARE High Elves already, there is nothing different between Blood Elves and High Elves except some minor details which vary less compared to impact of classes on actual races. For instance, High Elf Mage is a lot closer to the Blood Elves as a race than a Blood Elf Warlock.

[Deleted]

We don't need new races, just better content.

you* I'd like to see ogre in game. As does seem to many others too.

[Magnagarde]

Wait, what? Goblins have always been Horde pretty much, except few Goblin Mercenaries in WC3, Pandaren were also very very plausible, they were actually a very strong candidate for an Alliance race in TBC. The only ones that surprised us were the Worgen, especially since they didn't have a background from RTS games.

If Alliance get High Elves, why not give Night Elves to the Horde then as well, since they were originally meant as a Horde race, but were changed solely because they wanted to have capitols for each Horde and Alliance on both continents.

If they would really give High Elves to the Alliance and Ogres to the Horde at this point, they better be prepared for immense backlash, mostly because it would favor the Horde way too much, unless they create an entire new High Elf model, but that wouldn't make sense the same, since Blood Elves ARE High Elves already, there is nothing different between Blood Elves and High Elves except some minor details which vary less compared to impact of classes on actual races. For instance, High Elf Mage is a lot closer to the Blood Elves as a race than a Blood Elf Warlock.

The way I always understood it is that the majority of the Alliance players would love to have high elves, which is why there would be no problem if the Horde gets ogres and the Alliance gets them. They've always been a popular pick for possible Alliance races ever since vanilla.

The nightborne would be exactly what you mentioned; a different type of night elves for the Horde. Disregarding this "leak" entirely, giving the Alliance high elves and the nightborne to the Horde seems plausible as it would be some sort of tradeoff that Blizzard may have put some thinking to, although more elves on the Horde would further ruin the essence of it.

[Deleted]

Yay, problem solved, forever! Thanks mate.

[D3athsting]

I predict core hounds and ettins to be playable races too

[Magnagarde]

Ogre shaman fuck yeah, one reason to buy next xpac. (if its gonna be true ofcourse!)

Me Smash you!

Or warlock.

Or mage.

[Deleted]

so no tinkers ?

[Rudkobing]

Sounds like it will be fun. I wonder what the racials will be.......?????

[Magnagarde]

Sounds like it will be fun. I wonder what the racials will be.......?????

Ogre Smash! - +1% critical strike chance for melee classes;

Human Fettish - +0.02 haste for every human in your party;

Gift of the Void Lords - The gift of the Naaru, just a lot darker;

[Deleted]

Maybe they needed to add extra races to Horde and Alliance to stop people from overcrowding the Neutral faction.

That'd be my guess. Obviously we can't say if this is true or not until Blizzcon.

[Hitei]

Not one of the best jaylock threads too many flaws. Blizzard doesn't have the balls to implement real choice. They care so much about their beloved bling that they will come up with some shit like "neutral vrykuls plus a questline to choose sides" again.

What are you even trying to say?
How is this real choice?

[Low Hanging Fruit]

That's so much sex, man. Will your uncle also be involved.

Yup. If you buy BlizzCon tickets you get a free sex change as well. But only for the one with no sex. So go out and throw your money at them. They need it or.. maybe a raid tier will be lost or something.

[The Iron Fist]

Wait, what? Goblins have always been Horde pretty much, except few Goblin Mercenaries in WC3, Pandaren were also very very plausible, they were actually a very strong candidate for an Alliance race in TBC. The only ones that surprised us were the Worgen, especially since they didn't have a background from RTS games.

If Alliance get High Elves, why not give Night Elves to the Horde then as well, since they were originally meant as a Horde race, but were changed solely because they wanted to have capitols for each Horde and Alliance on both continents.

If they would really give High Elves to the Alliance and Ogres to the Horde at this point, they better be prepared for immense backlash, mostly because it would favor the Horde way too much, unless they create an entire new High Elf model, but that wouldn't make sense the same, since Blood Elves ARE High Elves already, there is nothing different between Blood Elves and High Elves except some minor details which vary less compared to impact of classes on actual races. For instance, High Elf Mage is a lot closer to the Blood Elves as a race than a Blood Elf Warlock.

I had argued for Goblins from TBC to Cata for Horde on the old WoW forums. The amount of rage I received was on par with High Elves I get now. People would go "They are neutral. They have their own neutral cities and factions! They'll never be in the Horde in WoW." Worgen only were in Shadowfang Keep and were brought up by Arugal. That's all the lore they had in Warcraft at all. Draenei were completely a new construct for TBC. All that had existed in lore were the Broken in WC3 and they made a new story around it. Pandarens were by far the biggest shock, however. The only Pandaren ever seen were in WC3: the Frozen Throne as the Brewmaster Hero you can get in the prologue campaign where the Horde founds Orgrimmar. When people would suggest them they would get shut down hard with people saying "Pandarens were a joke race made for April Fools!" usually followed by random insults. My point is that High Elves, Ogres and Naga were all far more likely than Pandaren ever were. Anything is possible.

Remember, races in WoW don't exist in a darwinian universe of evolution. New races rise and emerge instantly or near instantly. Like the Naga for example were instantly twisted by Nzoth from Highborne Elves, as were the Eredar by Sargeras and Worgen from a curse of Elune. It's not hard for them to create a backstory to differentiate (or further differentiate) them from BEs. They've been softly doing so since WotLK. The writing team has already explained that emo-like qualities via the use of fel-magic which changed their personalities, eye color and their agressiveness changing from frost magic to fire magic and changing the color of their flags to red from blue. Many high elves became frail and weak, and in their desperation, turned to fel magic to sate their cravings. Many, not all...

[Vargulf the Happy Husky]

just Ethereals please

i've given up on high elves

and ogres can suck the deepest, darkest part of my chode

[The Iron Fist]

just Ethereals please

i've given up on high elves

and ogres can suck the deepest, darkest part of my chode

... are you implying you have an "inny"? o.O

[Zazajin]

I don't see High Elves as being likely, they're too similar to Blood Elves.